We stopped in for a drink while exploring the city. I was impressed by the building interior and…read morethe beautiful holiday decorations they had up. It was such an inviting space. We sat at the bar but there is a lot of seating throughout: high tables, low tops, booths, and some private nooks towards the back. They had live music that was really good! We had drinks (lots of beers on tap and a full bar) and the hummus. They had a happy hour menu. The hummus was really tasty and a large portion. We had great service at the bar, friendly and attentive.

We stopped here for an appetizer and a cocktail before continuing on our way while we are walking…read morearound Victoria. The restaurant itself is beautiful the inside and original decor is quite exquisite as it used to be a bank. The food was OK. I felt like it was overpriced for portion served and lacked a little bit of flair for something that is normally smaller portions. The oysters were good and a cocktail was decent, but since we weren't super impressed with the other appetizer, we decided not to have dinner there. The service was OK, but they were very busy so we had to go up and get our check when it was time to leave.

I think I have to bump up the stars since my last beer experience here…read more On our latest trip to our northern neighbor we had another beer from Driftwood that we immensely enjoyed. That beer was the Spiff Corn Lager. It was such a refreshing beverage to have as we were ready to get out of the hot mugginess of summer. Flavor features with this delightful beer are a natural sweetness along with crispness and a clean finish. The beer is very light bodied and extremely persuasive in having you get another one.

Honestly, this brewery is great! Not only do they have awesome beer and a vegan-friendly menu but…read morethey also host events for the community to enjoy. We absolutely loved how friendly the place is. Hands down the friendliest brewery we have been to, they give your pups treats, and they even have beds for them to be comfy. The staff is wonderful, especially Amber who makes your feel welcome and definitely brings a great vibe to the place. We visited twice during our stay and look forward to visiting again someday when we are back in Victoria.

While in Victoria, BC during a port stop on a cruise we went on an Ale Trail excursion and the…read morefirst of three stops was Whistle Buoy. Talk about hitting out of the park with the first stop! Whistle Buoy is located in a Market Square that's a beautiful open air area surrounded by shops, boutiques, restaurants, assorted businesses, and vast tracts of land with chairs and tables. Since it's surrounded by buildings on all four sides the wind would be challenged to ruffle your hair once inside. For this stop of the Ale Trail excursion we were each allowed one glass (not a taster...a full 12oz glass) of one brew. They have roughly a dozen taps that run the typical gamut of beer styles. I immediately gravitated toward the Shaft Coffee Stout. Not my usual go-to, (I'm usually more of an IPA / Pale Ale kinda guy) but something about "Dark. Coffee. Chocolate" grabbed my attention (Here's the part where Jim has an advantage. Jim's wife doesn't drink beer, so Jim gets her selection, too, so she (ok, I) chose the Froth Hazy Pale for hers (ok, for me).) I didn't expect the highlight of the excursion to be the very first beer I had, but the Shaft Coffee Stout was quite possibly the best beer I've ever had. It was smooth and rich and had such an amazing flavor. Honestly, it was more like dessert. I'm not saying my wife's beer (ok, my 2nd) wasn't awesome, it's just that the Shaft set the bar REALLY high. ( I'm just talkin' 'bout Shaft! ) Our group sat in the outdoor, covered beer garden, the weather was slightly overcast, and we were surrounded by like-minded beer lovers (except my wife, who donates to my cause.) As we sat the Market Square was busy with life as people walked their dogs, visited businesses, and a group of elementary school kids was escorted through the square. Sometimes it's nice to sit back and watch the world go by. The restrooms (gender neutral, thank you) are small...ok, tiny. There's barely enough room to change your mind. I do have to call attention to two things, though. First, it has the tiniest sink I've ever seen. Surely this thing had to be custom made. Second, they have a Code of Conduct posted on the wall, which I genuinely appreciated. Nothing outrageous, just a focus on respect and common decency. If I were able to get Shaft Coffee Stout at home I'd never leave home (actually I would just to get more Shaft Coffee Stout). It was only a brief visit to Whistle Buoy Brewing, but if I ever found myself living in Victoria, BC, there is no doubt this is where I'd hang out.

Great vibes, even better food! While the menu is very small, the sandwiches and grilled cheese were…read moredivine! The beetroot aioli I could eat by the bucket. There are boardgames and good vibes, all around, plenty of seating outside, quick lines and good service from the staff. Would go back!

Our last stop before boarding the ferry at Swartz Bay to Vancouver:…read more We had an enjoyable time at Vancouver Island Brewery while waiting for the ferry. Lucky for us, we were able to savor the last few days of warm sunshine on their patio. We went during happy hour and flights were only $5. There were a lot of choices including Lemon Drop Star Anise Sour and Merri Berri Cider. The food menu is limited. We ordered a bag of chips and a jar of salsa and both were very fresh and tasty. One jar was not enough. We ordered another one to finish off the rest of the chips. They also allowed us to bring outside food to pair with their full flavoured beers. On the table: Happy hour flights: Tuesday-Thursday 3-6pm 5 Adrianas Corn Chips & Justos Mango Jalapeno Salsa (| GF | Made in Victoria) 10

The staff here was very nice and helpful. The beer was pretty good too. The location is a bit…read moreinconvenient but there is plenty of parking.

Big Bad John's is a particular lounge, where you can get plenty of drinks made by the bartender but…read morealso get ciders and other bottles or canned alcoholic drinks, and local beers on draft. Two other characteristics of Big Bad John's is the decoration and the shelled peanuts. The walls has stickers, hand written notes, pictures, and other artifacts, such as bottles and bras. As for the shelled peanuts, you can get a bucket full of them and throw the empty shells on the ground. Don't worry, it's allowed!! At the end of the evening, the floor is full of shells and the only sound you hear is "CRUNCH." The music is entirely country music!!

A very cool bar to check out while in Victoria. They have cider, beer, and full bar for cocktails…read more The aesthetics inside were nice and ladies if you feel compelled you can leave your bar behind! Overall a cool dive bar spot

Best chicken wings in Victoria!! Super crispy yet tender meat on the inside. The lemon pepper…read moreflavor was delicious. Good atmosphere and staff as well.

Friendly service. Popped in for a quick refill. Had me an…read moreIrish Slammer. And was back on the trail

I am giving the overall bar a 5! It's a super fun bar located right off the major street in…read moreVictoria. I was visiting for only 4 short hours. We wanted to grab a beer and head back to the boat. The atmosphere is super fun. We were greeted right away and I was overwhelmed with the beer list. The server let me try a few. I don't think she heard me because it was a little loud. I ended up getting a beer I wasn't a fan of. I'm not one to send things back so I drank what I had. 1 star for the beer I had. This place has MANY drinks to try from. I didn't see a food menu. They might have one. I also didn't see a physical menu, it was scanned from the bar. Still recommend going here!

Our group decided they wanted to try a local pub while we were in Victoria for our last night of…read morethe cruise. After a quick search on Yelp we settled on The Churchill so they could try several different local beers. I opted for the featured cocktail of the month Into The Wild with blackberry gin, blueberry liqueur, honey, lemon & orange bitters. I thought it was really good, smooth but potent. When visiting Canada, I thought it was mandatory to get the Poutine - Beer battered fries, squeaky cheese curds, homemade beef gravy. Very filling and did not disappoint. The rest of the family liked their choices (Nashville Hot Grilled Chicken Burgers, Pulled Jackfruit Bun) as well. We sat in a large booth instead of at the bar like most of the regulars and locals. Service was a little slow but would not keep me from coming back.

Great food! Pan seared halibut burger was unbelievably good, buffalo chicken wrap was also quite…read moregood! Service was great no issues at all! This is one of the nicer patios downtown, and although you cannot see the water, you still get a nice breeze from it! The patio is also COVERED in plants which makes it very beautiful. The heavy foot traffic makes for a great ambiance and people watching also! Overall a great summer spot to try out! Never been in the winter so can't speak to the inside.

The vibe here alone would have been enough to draw us in, but the floral ambiance of the outdoor…read morepatio, the lighting, and the perfect summer evening weather made The Local our first dining choice for our weekend visit to Victoria! We found it randomly on our nighttime stroll through Bastion Square, although we ended up looping around the block to get a feel for the area before setting in. Despite it seeming to be completely full, we were seated immediately on an outdoor patio table away from the street, and our incredibly friendly and welcoming server Danika taking care of us for the rest of the stay. We ordered the Cowboy Steak Tacos, the Spicy Vegetarian Rockstar, and a London Pimm's between us, and were treated to a slowly-encroaching lightning storm in the distance, while we waited, which wasn't long! The Cowboy Steak Tacos were probably my favorite meal of the entire trip: peppery, spicy and lean, with a delicious savory sauce and pickled onions. Even my wife's tofu salad dish, something not usually to my liking, had a thick glaze of spicy sauce that gave it a more solid, inviting texture, and when coupled with the array of fresh veggies, really came together to create a dish even I would order. And my London Pimm's, despite being a gin drink which, again, not something I usually order, was light, crisp and refreshing, and something I'd like to have more often. I should try to get the recipe. I didn't see much of the interior, but I liked what I saw: looks like the kind of social bar, like the Dixie, that I tend to frequent back in Portland, although nicer: multi-hued neon lighting, loud music, multiple levels filled with party people. But the outside patio is really where it's at: I didn't see a restaurant with outdoor seating anywhere in downtown Victoria that could hold a candle to the charm of The Local, and it will always stand out in my mind as one of the city's premier outdoor dining option: a fantastic location at the base of the Bastion Square steps, and boasting an unparalleled ambiance. This is the sort of place I am going to want to return to again and again, whenever the weather (and the wallet) allows!

One of the best poutines I've ever had. The beef gravy was delicious! So much flavor with great…read morespices. The fries were very crispy and held up well to the gravy. Curds were perfectly squishy. A+

We didn't know this pub was right next to our hotel. The ambience was pretty good. It's suitable…read morefor hangouts, game night or Happy Hour. Room service is also provided for guests at Marriott. We ordered the following : 2 of 6 oz red wine ($14), Crispy Dry Ribs ( Happy Hour price $11), Chicken Wings ($18), Chicken Quesadillas ( Happy Hour price $11) and Guacamole for $4. Ribs were tender and crispy. Honey garlic wings were pretty tasty. Although there were few of chicken pieces, Quesadillas were tasty too. There was Blue Jays vs Dodgers match happening last night. Majority of patrons were having fun watching the game. Trivia nights are also happening from October 20th through December 6th! I'd definitely return to this pub on my next visit!

This place is awesome. Scoped it out while on a cruise stop. Great poutine, cheap food & beer,…read moreexcellent Cobb salad, and an energetic vibe. We just need to teach the food/drink runner how to pronounce Dos Equis. " Dos Eh-quees?" LOL

It was my first time in Victoria, BC, Canada and I wanted to try poutine for the first time. I…read morestopped by this place while I was walking along the street, I saw that they had good reviews so I walked in and sat down on the booth. I scanned the QR code on the table and chose to order the small original poutine and a beer. The beer came out instantly and the poutine about five minutes after. The poutine was delicious, it tasted like what I was expecting--fries, gravy and cheese. I thought the gravy would have a heavier taste but I was nice and light. The waitress was super helpful to answer any questions I had about the dish and also gave me recommendations on what to do in Victoria.